*In an attempt to get back to blogging, I'm going to begin posting my weekly newsletter devotionals on the blog each week. Hopefully it'll inspire me to write other times as well. ha
Drew, Tucker and I went to dinner tonight at one of our favorite places in Alpharetta and were heading to the Cirque show that his school's drama department puts on. T and I both had on dresses. I broke out an extra-high pair of heels. (You know, the ones I never wear to church 'cause they're not conducive to sitting in the floor or 80 trips up and down the stairs and from end to end of the building.) I even put on mascara. It was a seriously big night. (haha).
And as I sat at the dinner table having a grown-up evening, I reached in my purse for a moment to get my glasses and had to move a pair of Rapunzel undies out of the way. You see, no matter what kind of evening I'm having, I'm still a mom and the marks of it are everywhere. My purse always has spare toddler undies (in case of accidents), spare kiddie barrettes, and usually a small game or book of some sort. My car is always stocked with emergency pull-ups, juice boxes, a stroller, and a cd of princess songs. I might as well have "Mommy" permanently tatooed on my forehead.
It got me to thinking. Motherhood changed my life completely and it has left its marks outwardly all over my world. How much more so has knowing Christ changed my life? And are there any outward markings of that change?
Yes, some of us wear crosses or carry Bibles and those can be outward signs of being a Christian, but to me the real outward signs of having Christ in your heart is an outpouring of his love. Kind words, helpful hands, showing kindness even to those who are different from us, being slow to anger and fast to forgive -- I think all of these are outwards signs of the change Christ brings to our lives. We may not create an "emergency box" in our cars because we're carrying Christ with us like we do for our children, but he should leave his mark in our choices, behaviors, and our interactions with others. There should be something about the way our cups are overflowing with his love that marks us as his.
One of my favorite choral pieces I've ever sung goes like this, "Though shalt know him when he comes, not by any din of drums, nor his manners, nor his airs, nor by anything he wears. Though shalt no him when he comes, not by his crown or by his gown, but his coming known shall be by the HOLY HARMONY which his coming MAKES IN THEE!"
Has he made his mark on you? Do others know he's here because of the change he made in YOU? My prayer is that he will guide all of our thoughts, words, and actions so that others can see the holy harmony he has made in each of us.
Love & Shipoopies,
Leslie
1 comment:
I absolutely agree with you Lesley. It is simply not enough what we do if people only recognize Christians because they are wearing a cross on their necklace.
Kindness, helpfulness, Love is the key, all the way.
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